Improvement in safety-clamps for children



J. GOODLIFF. Improvement in Safety-Clamps for Children. N0.128,614.

Patented July 2, 1872.

JOHN eoonmrr, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN SAFETY-CLAMPS FOR CHILDREN.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 128,614, dated July 2, 1872.

Specification describing acertain new and Improved Safety-Clamp for Children, invented by-JoHN GooDLiFF, of Brooklyn, Kings county, New York.

The object of the invention is to promote the safety of children in sitting at the table. A vigorous or restless child frequently subjects itself to serious accidents by disturbing the position of or overthrowing its chair. My clamp is adapted to take hold of the side of a table at any point, grasping through the table-cloth when one is present, and, without requiring any previous preparation of 'the table, or subjecting the child to any inconvenience, holds the chair within proper distance of the table. Its use involves little labor or skill.

The following is a description of what I consider the best .means for carrying out the inyention: I employ a pair of clamps with broad faces, padded with felt or the like, and connect the two clamps by a flexible strap, which passes around the back of the childs chair. The jaws of the clamps are held apart by springs, and are drawn together by strong screws so as to seize the edge of the table very forcibly at any desired point.

The accompanying drawing forms a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, showing the device in use, holding a chair to a table. Only aportion of the chair and the table are shown. Fig. 2 is a plan view, showing the device alone.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figuresr A is the table, and B the childs chair. 0 is a strap of leather or webbing, and provided with suitable means for shortening and lengthening, if desired. I) D are the eyes of the respective clamps, a description of one of which clamps will suflice for both. The eye supports a rivet, d, which serves as a pivot for the two jaws e e of the clamps. These jaws are pro vided with broad bearings faced with felt, and are urged apart with a gentle force by a coiled spring, G. The jaws are adapted to be forcibly pressed together by the thumb-screw H, which turns freely in one jaw and is tapped into the other one, as represented. J is a guide or support for the strap at the back of the chair. It may be made a closed eye carrying a wood screw, as here represented, or it may be an open hookpreferably an open springhook-with the upper part or mouth so constructed that it must yield elastically a little to let the strap 0 pass out or in. This part J is intended to be permanently fixed to the chair at any desired position by means of the screwj attached.

'It is not essential that the strap 0 be ca-.

pable of lengthening and shortening. The

clamps and straps may be made of uniform length, and in case the size of the chair or any conditions require more or less length of the strap, the two clamps may be set nearer each other or spread wider apart in joining them to the table. in various ornamental styles, and may be made much lighter than here represented. They may be nickel-plated, or otherwise tastily finished.

I claim as my invention The clamps D e e H, connected by the flexible connection G, and adapted to take hold firmly at any points on the edge of a table and confine and release the chair, as herein specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of May, 1872, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN GOODLIFF.

Witnesses WM. 0. DEY, ARNOLD HtimvrANN.

The clamps may be made 

